Interested to See a 100 Year Old Plat Map for Your Seattle Waterfront Home?

By Scott Price

Apr

10

Paul Dorpat has digitized the entire Seattle 1912 Baist Real Estate Map, showing parcels, structures, and roads throughout all of Seattle a hundred years ago. So if you have a home anywhere within Seattle (Lake Washington, Lake Union, Puget Sound, Duwamish area) and are interested in the historical changes of your neighborhood and even your own parcel (which very well may have been in a different – and perhaps larger – configuration back then), check it out!

Seattle 1912 Baist Real Estate Map, including waterfront neighborhoods

Seattle 1912 Baist Real Estate Map, including waterfront neighborhoods


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Nude Beach in Seattle?

By Scott Price

Jul

6

Supporters of an officially sanctioned clothing-optional beach in the Seattle area gained a little bit of momentum recently, although the parks board of commissioners have placed it as a low priority until there’s a clearer sign of broader support within the community.

There are currently three unofficial nudist beach sites around Seattle located at Magnuson Park, Discovery Park, and the “Secret Beach” of Lake Washington. However, people get asked by police to wear clothing at those beaches from time to time by the beach.
Maybe if there are more 90 degree days locally they’ll get that broader support! :-)

Click here for Angle Lake SeaTac Seattle waterfront house for sale, lakefront real estate

Angle Lake waterfront home for sale close to Seattle (click photo for info)

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Join Beach Naturalists on our Local Beaches

By Scott Price

May

30

The King County / Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalists Program is a great local asset for people that love the shoreline, its critters, and learning about our local Puget Sound ecosystem. The Beach Naturalists are all volunteers, and have gone through an informative multi-week training program held at the Seattle Aquarium before they are let loose on our local public beaches to help casually teach beachcombers young and old about what they are seeing. I was personally a Beach Naturalist for several years and enjoyed both what I learned and what I could teach others. It meshed well with my other volunteer work as a People for Puget Sound community “Pod Leader”, too.

One of the most interesting things about going out to a beach on a Beach Naturalists day is experiencing all of the hidden aspects of beach life that you would likely otherwise just walk on by without ever noticing. Even on a seemingly “barren” gravel beach there is a surprising amount of life under every little rock. And on beaches where large boulders are strewn about, the variety and intensity of sea life exposed at low tides is exceptional.

Definitely check it out; you’ll learn a lot and every visit afterwards to your own front yard or to a local beach will have more depth.

Resources:
Beach Naturalists Program
Beach Naturalists’ schedule on local public beaches
Seattle Aquarium
Seattle Times article about Beach Naturalists

Seattle Aquarium logo for Beach Naturalists Program

Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalists Program

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Free Shoreline and Bluff Properties Workshop

By Scott Price

May

9

For anyone living on the shoreline, and especially on bluff properties, here is an informative workshop that is also free! I participated in a version of this same workshop years ago, and found it helpful. The instructors are knowledgeable about ways to improve bluff stability, reduce erosion, install appropriate plants, deal with drainage, work within complicated permit systems, and more. The first half is indoor instruction, and the second half is outdoors “hands-on” obeservation and recommendations at actual shoreline bluff properties.

The workshop is offered at three different places and dates: in Normandy Park, Vashon Island, and Discovery Park / Seattle.

From the workshop announcement:

Is your marine bluff or beach property eroding or jeopardizing your house? Do you want to manage vegetation to stabilize slopes while maintaining a beautiful view of Puget Sound?

The King Conservation District invites you to attend a FREE workshop developed for property owners along the marine shorelines of King County. The workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about the ecological, geological, and vegetation management issues associated with owning property Where the Water Begins.

Topics:

  • Understanding the Ecology of Marine Nearshore and Riparian Ecology
  • Recognizing Coastal Geological Hazards
  • Using Native Vegetation to Reduce Erosion & Improve Fish
    and Wildlife Habitat

    • Who Should Attend:

  • Landowners interested in stable natural marine shorelines
    & in reducing the potential for erosion and landslides
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    Volunteer at Lake Union and Portage Bay Sweep

    By Scott Price

    Apr

    2

    From the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance: this year’s Lake Union and Portage Bay Sweep. It’s a fun event where you can be out on the water, help pretty up the area, and have some nice camaraderie with other folks along our urban waterfront. From the organizers:

    “Over 200 volunteers in kayaks, row boats and motorized craft remove 2-3 tons of trash annually from Lake Union and Portage Bay. Volunteers are treated to a picnic lunch provided by event sponsors and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.”

    The event will be held May 15th from 8:00am to 2:00pm. Contact and other info can be found at the link above.

    Puget Soundkeep Alliance logo

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    Seattle Waterfront View Restaurants

    By Scott Price

    Mar

    26

    With all of the spectacular waterfront communities and views that we have in the Seattle, you’d think that there are some restaurants with great views. And you’d be right! Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway evening, or want to entertain some out of town guests by showing them what Seattle has to offer, there are many options to pick from.

    We have put together a list of some of the best Seattle waterfront view restaurants. If you have any that you think should be added, let us know.

    Lake Washington waterfront real estate for sale with home in Holmes Point Kirkland

    Lake Washington waterfront home for sale in Holmes Point Kirkland

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    Salute to the Sound

    By Scott Price

    Sep

    23

    The Puget Soundkeeper Alliance is holding their “Salute to the Sound” event on Saturday September 26th at the Great Hall of Lake Union Park. From their announcement:

    “Celebrate the bounty of the Sound and help us welcome keynote speaker Hedrick Smith, the Frontline correspondent of the recent Poisoned Waters series on PBS.

    Join us for oysters, clams, catering by Bacchus and Arianna, Soundkeeper Organic Pale ale & other brews, local wines, live music and a Silent Auction.”

    Puget Soundkeeper Alliance logo

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    Elliott Bay Water Taxi Sets New Record

    By Scott Price

    Nov

    16

    The Elliott Bay Water Taxi, which travels from West Seattle across to downtown Seattle in 12 minutes, increased its ridership by 15% over the prior year. It’s a great commute alternative for people who live in the waterfront community of West Seattle and either work in downtown Seattle or can connect to other public transportation from there.

    The water taxi is successful enough that year around service is set to start in 2010, and several other demonstration routes are being planned for other local Puget Sound and Lake Washington communities.

    Elliott Bay Water Taxi service from West Seattle to downtown Seattle, photo from King County Metro Transit

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    Elliott Bay Water Taxi is back in service

    By Scott Price

    Apr

    23

    The Elliott Bay Water Taxi service – that takes passengers between West Seattle dock at Seacrest Park and downtown at Pier 55 by Spring Street – is back in operation starting April 29th and runs through September 30th this year. There is also an associated free shuttle bus that connects the dock at Seacrest Park to Alki, Admiral District, and West Seattle Junction. It operates 7 days a week and operates throughout the day, with more frequent crossings during commute hours. Fare is $3, and numerous passes and associated discounts are accepted.

    A community celebration will be held opening day on Sunday April 29th, including music, family activities, and free rides on the Water Taxi all day.

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    Olympic Sculpture Park on Seattle Waterfront

    By Scott Price

    Jan

    16

    The Emerald City has another jewel in its crown: the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park on the waterfront of downtown Seattle. It officially opens to the public Saturday and Sunday January 20-21, and I recommend stopping by for a stroll when you are next in the area.

    Whatever your particular tastes and however you may feel about the modern sculptures represented throughout the park, it’s a bold urban move in a prime development spot that ended up being preserved for public space and urban lifestyle. It also connects the city core literally with the water again: it has returned 850 feet of shoreline back to a more naturally sloped and publicly accessible topography, right in the middle of downtown Seattle.

    The meandering path and architectural control emphasizes integration with the art, yet the views are expansive outwards to Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountain range, downtown skyscrapers, ferry traffic, and even Mt Rainier. One stop shopping for all the local classics there.

    And perhaps one of the most impressive feats is invisible to the casual visitor: $64M of the park’s $85M total were from private donors, not from government tax sources.

    For good information, check out the Seattle Times guide to the park. It includes entertaining pictures from a hundred years ago, virtual tours, how the park was built, and more.

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